FARMINGTON — Allen Berger, University of Maine at Farmington provost and vice president for academic affairs, will leave the institution at the end of the academic year to take an appointment with the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus.

Berger’s new position begins on July 1, 2011. An interim UMF provost will be appointed by President Theodora Kalikow at that time.

“Allen has provided a steady hand on the helm of UMF’s academic progress for over a decade,” Kalikow said, “and we will all miss him a great deal. When we think back on all the change and growth that UMF has been fortunate to experience over the last decade and more, it is clear that Allen’s leadership has been a key factor in our success.”

During Berger’s 11 years as provost, he has led innovative initiatives including the adoption of a four-credit curriculum and has had a continued commitment to undergraduate research.

He has promoted an increasingly collaborative effort between academic and student affairs that has resulted in the development of a new group of course-related and residential-based learning communities on campus. In addition, Berger’s leadership was instrumental in creating a new master’s of science in education program in 2008, and “Farmington in Four,” an innovative new four-year graduation guarantee, in 2010.